Amazon.com Changes The Game

[Firemedic183]

Very interesting!! The only downside to this that I see is not being able to handle a product that you are wanting in person BEFORE purchasing it. With that being said, I also purchase several things through Amazon.com, and their prices are always very competitive. We shall see...

 

[farmerbyron]

Another reason amazon rocks is their customer service. Bought a $1,400 tv delivered with a cracked screen. One 5-10 min phone call and another one showed up without any fuss at all.

Amazon stock might be a bargain at $213 per share.

 

[Backstrap]

It's called freedom - anyone in the U.S. is free to develop and sell a better mousetrap; Amazon did. I remember when other people pumped my gas - now they don't, but I presume they got jobs doing something else when theirs were phased out by progress and changing economics of their industry. Same will happen to the employees of brick-and-mortar stores if Amazon runs any of those out of business. Perhaps they should open courier services in their hometowns when Amazon builds a new distribution center there.

 

[O4L]

I have been using Amazon for years with 100% satisfaction!

That's a whole lot more than I can say for most brick and mortar stores.

 

[Glocktogo]

It's called freedom - anyone in the U.S. is free to develop and sell a better mousetrap; Amazon did. I remember when other people pumped my gas - now they don't, but I presume they got jobs doing something else when theirs were phased out by progress and changing economics of their industry. Same will happen to the employees of brick-and-mortar stores if Amazon runs any of those out of business. Perhaps they should open courier services in their hometowns when Amazon builds a new distribution center there.

This. We don't have milk delivered to your door anymore either. In business, you move ahead or you get left behind. There are lots of other retail storefronts that have cashed in on the internet shopping craze. It's the way of the future.

 

[Hobbes]

This. We don't have milk delivered to your door anymore either. In business, you move ahead or you get left behind. There are lots of other retail storefronts that have cashed in on the internet shopping craze. It's the way of the future.

That's what I find ironic about it. Now we can have milk and groceries delivered to our door again, maybe, in the not too distant future.
Like I said, I'm looking forward to the day we can I can shop online and have my groceries delivered to my door.
That will be a godsend to the elderly and disabled as well.

Still, if this drives retailers like BB out of business how are you going to decide which TV to buy without looking at it?
You really going to plunk down $1800 for a TV that you've never seen the picture on?

 

[cichlid-dave]

Wow so the milk man may actually come back.

 

[Hobbes]

Wow so the milk man may actually come back.

From your mouth (typing fingers) to God's ears my friend.

http://grocery.walmart.com/usd-estore/index.jsp?referrer=cookiesDetecting

 

[TCummings]

Ditto. I love Amazon Prime. Normally, by the time I stand in line at the open 3 of Walmart's 30 registers, I could have already had the same item delivered from Amazon. Slight exaggeration but not too far off.

 

[ewheeley]

I work at Best Buy and react to this with mixed emotions. Amazon can be too big; driving brick and mortars out of business will hurt them in the long run. A lack of competition leads to inefficiency, and they'll have a hard time selling TVs to people if they can't view them first. To all of you consumers, please keep your money local. Whether it's Best Buy, Wal-Mart, or a mom and pop, do yourself a favor and buy from them.

A lot of times, people will tell me that they can buy a TV for the same price from Amazon but not pay sales tax. Depending on their level of smug, I usually say something to the effect of, "Do you not like having a fire department?" Sometimes it makes people think.

For what it's worth, though, to those of you buying items like televisions from Amazon, it never hurts to ask the dang salesman to match Amazon's price! I can't remember the last time I turned down an Amazon customer. At least in the case of Best Buy, we have full authority to make our own decisions about pricing (within reason). As long as we still make 3% on a TV, which means we break even after check lane tender, I'll make a sale just to steal Amazon's market share. Especially on non-TV items, I can beat Amazon any day. For those of you looking to buy a TV in the near future, call Best Buy 351 in Fayetteville, AR and ask for Ed. Say goodbye to Amazon and say hello to improving the funding of your local government